Press release
ComEd Recruits Local Residents to Bring Bill-Assistance Awareness Directly to Families and Individuals
For third year in a row, Community Energy Assistance Ambassadors help support communities hardest hit by the economy CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- To increase
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[{"type":"text","content":"\nFor third year in a row, Community Energy Assistance Ambassadors help support communities hardest hit by the economy\n\n CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nTo increase access to financial assistance options that can help income-eligible customers pay their electric bills, while creating local employment opportunities, ComEd has returned with its Community Energy Assistance Ambassador (CEAA) program.\n\nFirst introduced in 2020 in response to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, CEAA is a community-based outreach and awareness program that continues to support families in communities hardest hit by the economy. Each year, the program provides temporary, part-time employment to approximately 100 residents from INVEST South/West neighborhoods. These individuals receive training, then help educate neighbors about bill-assistance options available through virtual and in-person events.\n\nEntering the 2022-23 winter season, CEAAs previously reached out to approximately 1,800 families; 27% of whom received a total of more than $59,000 in assistance. Since its inception, the program has provided employment to approximately 300 Chicago-area residents.\n\n“In recent years, a succession of financial challenges has created hardships for an increasing number of customers – many of whom have never before needed financial assistance,” said Nichole Owens, ComEd vice president of customer channels. “To meet the needs of these customers, we continue to innovate to connect as many families and individuals as possible with the assistance they need. The creation of CEAA is just one example of how we partner with local communities to meet customers where they are.”\n\nCEAAs are trained to play a crucial role in informing community members about the options available to help them address past-due balances on their energy bills, and access ways to better manage their energy use. This includes promoting residential customer awareness and enrollment in governmental financial-assistance options such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), as well as ComEd’s bill-assistance and energy-efficiency options.\n\nTo implement the CEAA program, ComEd works with the Chatham Business Association (CBA), who initially helped identify community institutions across INVEST South/West neighborhoods that hire, train, equip and manage CEAAs. This ye...